Weathering the Storm
by NickyM96
Summary: Mulder and boats just don't mix. Written for Mulder's Refuge April 'Act of God' Challenge.


Title - Weathering the Storm  
  
Rating - G  
  
Summary - Mulder and boats just don't mix. Written for Mulder's Refuge April 'Act of God' Challenge.  
  
Disclaimer - I don't own the characters so please don't sue  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Despite things he's said in the past, Scully refused to believe Mulder's accusations of her brother's hatred for him. She just assumed the two men just didn't get along very well. She assumed her brother blamed Mulder for her not spending much time with the family. So, she decided to remedy that. She agreed to spend the Memorial Day weekend with her family.  
  
No one was more excited than Margaret Scully to learn of her son Bill's month long stint as a guest lecturer at a new england college. She was thrilled with the very thought of having him, Tara, and baby Matthew closer than a whole continent away. She hasn't seen the child since he was born five months earlier. Scully couldn't bring herself to refuse when her mother asked her to join them for the holiday. Actually, she had no reasonable excuse to turn them down. A trip all the way out to California, she could get out of. But there was no way she'd be able to avoid the journey of only a few hundred miles.  
  
It isn't like she doesn't enjoy spending time with her family. It's just been a hectic year. She had cancer. Then she didn't have cancer any more. She had a daughter. Then she didn't have a daughter any more. She was a mother. Then she wasn't a mother anymore. But oddly enough, she still feels one. Which leads her to her problem. How can she expect her family to understand her need to grieve over losing a child she never really knew when she can't understand it herself? How can they understand how hard it is to hold that beautiful son of theirs when she never had that chance with her own child?  
  
None of them understands why she can hardly stand to be with them. No one understands but Mulder. At least, she thought he did. Mulder wasn't much help when he heard about the trip. She expected him to come up with a case, any case, to get her out of it. But he surprised her. He offered them the use of his father's house on Martha's Vineyard, very near to the college where Bill was teaching.  
  
So here she is now, only ten hours into her vacation and already deciding that she's never made a bigger mistake in her life. Between Bill's constant disparaging remarks about her career, her life, and her Mulder (when she started thinking of him that way is a thought she'll have to take up at another time), and everyone's oohing and aahing over every little thing the baby does, she's praying for any excuse to take her away. She would even gladly go ten rounds with the flukeman if it'll get her out of this torture.  
  
"Mulder," she hears him say as he picks up the phone and she has to ignore the sudden fluttering in the pit of her stomach at the sound of his voice. She thought she'd be able to go the whole weekend without hearing from him. She was wrong.  
  
"Mulder, it's me," she says, giving him her standard greeting.  
  
"Hey Scully."  
  
She smiles to herself at how happy he sounds to be talking to her. A girl can dream, right? Well, that's not true. Of course he's happy to hear from her. Who is she kidding. She knows how Mulder feels about her. He was so desperate to save her when she was dying from the cancer. No one would do the things that he did for just any partner. She knows he loves her. And she knows she loves him. She just wishes neither were too afraid to admit it to the other. Maybe one day it'll happen.  
  
"Is everything all right?" he asks in a concern-laced voice after her lengthy silence. "Something wrong with the house?"  
  
"Oh, everything is fine, Mulder," she quickly assures him. "The house is very nice. Bill loves it."  
  
"How . . . ironic," he laughs. "Especially considering how much he hates me."  
  
"I thought you were just being paranoid, Mulder. But you were right. I think my brother truly hates you. He's had more than a few things to say about you, none of them good, I'm afraid."  
  
"It's okay, Scully," he sighs. "I'm just glad you're able to spend some time with your family. At least that's one less thing for him to blame me for."  
  
"Yeah, thanks for that, by the way," she mutters sarcastically.  
  
"Scully?"  
  
"I'm sorry. It's not your fault that I'm not having a good time. It's just your fault that I'm in a comfortable vacation while I'm not having a good time," she adds with a laugh.  
  
"My pleasure, Scully," he laughs with her. "Besides, I just rent the house out to vacationers, anyway. It wasn't a big deal to arrange for you family to get it this weekend. Have you guys been able to get out on the boat yet?"  
  
"That's actually another reason why I'm calling. Bill wants to take us sailing tomorrow, but the keys to the boat aren't where the vacation agent said they would be."  
  
"Really?" She hears him opening and closing several drawers, digging through them for something. "Uh, Scully? Don't be mad. But . . ."  
  
"Let me guess, you have the keys there?"  
  
"I think I accidentally picked them up the last time I was up there," he says apologetically.  
  
"It's no problem, Mulder. We'll just skip out on the boat. No big deal."  
  
"No, Scully. I promised you guys the perfect New England vacation. You should be able to take the boat out if you want. I'll make sure you get the keys by morning," he swears.  
  
"Mulder, you don't have to go through any trouble."  
  
"Don't worry," he assures her. "It won't be any trouble at all."  
  
They talk on the phone for a few more minutes about nothing in particular. She's just reluctant to let him go. Finally she hears her mother calling for her, letting her know that lunch is ready. With a little sadness, she tells him good-bye, hanging up the phone. But just hearing his voice has already lifted her spirits more than anything else. Maybe this vacation won't be so bad after all.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Mulder gets to the door and stops, suddenly apprehensive about the plan he worked all night coming up with. This was her vacation. He's sure the last person she wants to see is him. Of course, she was the one who called him yesterday. She asked him for the boat keys, but he got the impression that she just wanted to hear his voice. That very thought sends chills up his spine and his determination to see her again outweighs any apprehension.  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
He jumps when the front door of the house opens, revealing the object of his thoughts.  
  
"What are you doing here?"  
  
"Keys," he says quickly, shoving a keyring into her hand and blushing profusely at getting caught so off guard.  
  
"You brought them?" she smiles, partly from amusement, partly because she's just so happy to see him. "You came all the way to Martha's Vineyard just to bring me the boat keys?"  
  
"Well, I was in the neighborhood."  
  
"In the neighborhood. Right," she says, arching her eyebrow at the statement. "Mulder, you really didn't have to do this."  
  
"I know. But I promised you the keys. And here they are." He suddenly finds his shoes very interesting and can't seem to bring himself to look at her. "Besides, it's been awhile since I've seen my mother. I figured now is just as good a time as any for a visit."  
  
"Mulder, Greenwich is 200 miles away from here. That's not exactly what I'd call 'the neighborhood'."  
  
"I guess it isn't, huh?" he asks nervously, starting to feel as if this is the end of a first date and he can't figure out whether to kiss her or shake her hand.  
  
"So that means you have a pretty long trip ahead of you," she says. "Would you like to come in for some breakfast before you go? Mom cooked this amazing . . ."  
  
"No thanks," he quickly says, interrupting her. "I haven't really been inside since . . . you know."  
  
"Since your father was killed," she says quietly, nodding her head in sympathy. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I didn't even think about that."  
  
"And you shouldn't be thinking about it. It was a bad time. For all of us," he sighs, looking down again.  
  
He feels her arms go around his waist, and without thinking, he responds to the gesture, wrapping his arms around her and burying his face in her neck. He takes a deep breath, practically whimpering at how good she smells. So much so that he can't resist telling her.  
  
"You smell great, Scully," he whispers into her ear, shocked to feel her body tremble against his.  
  
"Thanks," she says with a blush, pulling out of the embrace. "I, um . . . I should take the keys inside. And let the others know our boating trip is on."  
  
"And I should get going to Mom's. So I guess I'll be seeing you later?"  
  
"Yeah. Later," she says, sounding suspiciously disappointed.  
  
"There you are, Dana."  
  
They both jump when the door opens, Mrs. Scully now on the porch with them.  
  
"Fox," she says, shocked to see him. "Is there a problem? Dana doesn't have to come to work, does she?"  
  
"Oh, no Ma'am. I just stopped by to say hello."  
  
"All the way from DC?"  
  
"Mom, Mulder grew up here. He came up to visit his mother," Scully explains, neglecting to tell her mother that the woman lives nearly four hours away. "He stopped by to give me the tour of the island he's been promising all these years."  
  
Mulder stares at her, trying to keep the surprised look off of his face and giving away the lie Scully is telling her mother.  
  
"That sounds nice, Fox. Dana's been cooped up with us long enough. I'm sure she'd enjoy a tour of the island."  
  
"I'd hate to cut in on your family time, Mrs. Scully."  
  
"Don't worry about anything. I'll explain to Bill and Tara that Dana needs some time away," Mrs. Scully says, her face softening when looking at her daughter. "I know it's been tough for you, Sweetheart, with the baby and all."  
  
"Thanks, Mom," Scully nods, giving her mother's hand a grateful squeeze before turning to go with Mulder.  
  
A trip around the island won't be so bad, Mulder figures. Not with this woman around. Suddenly, things are starting to look up for his previously lonely weekend. If things go his way, he may have a better time than he anticipated. But things never go his way. Nevertheless, Mulder shoves aside the sinking feeling in the pit of his stomach in lieu of enjoying his day with the woman of his dream.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
"It's really quite lovely out here," Scully hears Tara say for must be the fourth time in an hour. And as much as she normally loves the sea, Scully can't bring herself to agree with the woman.  
  
Under different circumstances, Scully would more than likely be having a lovely time as well. But these aren't normal circumstances. After a nice tour of the island and brunch at one of Mulder's favorite diners, they returned to the house. Bill, by that time, had been alerted to Mulder's presence and had the insults ready as soon as they walked in the door.  
  
"You are determined to run my sister's life, aren't you? You dominate her working hours, now you're keeping track of her vacation time as well?"  
  
"Pipe down, Bill. He's not trying to run my life. He just took me on a tour of the island. Plus, we got the keys to the boat, so we'll be able to take it out later."  
  
"How about now?"  
  
That was her mother's suggestion. It sounded like a bad idea at the time. And now, Scully knows for sure just how terrible an idea it was. The trip her mother suggested included Bill, Tara, Mulder, and herself. Her mother volunteered to stay home with the baby. So, here they all are, stuck together on a boat in the middle of the ocean. And with no Margaret Scully to keep him in line, Bill is in rare form, making sure Mulder knows how much he hates him.  
  
That was for the first hour. Now, the couples have retreated to their own separate corners. Scully is grateful for the temporary reprieve.  
  
"Having fun, Scully?" he asks her sarcastically, noticing that the look on her face is anything but happy.  
  
"This really sucks, Mulder. I can't believe my brother is behaving like this."  
  
"It isn't so bad, really," he assures her. "But we should probably be heading back soon. There's a storm coming."  
  
"How do you know?" she asks. But he just smiles at her, giving her that smug grin he wears when he's right about something. She just laughs, shaking her head slightly.  
  
"But still, I really am sorry about this," she apologizes quietly to Mulder. "We should have just skipped out on this whole boat outing."  
  
"And deny your mother? I wouldn't think of it," Mulder grins, trying to make her smile. "Besides, I think she might be trying to play matchmaker or something."  
  
"I didn't even think of that," she groans, hiding her red face in her hands. "I'm so embarrassed now."  
  
"Don't be. You know I can't say no to your mother, Scully. Anything she wants, I'll give her if it's within my ability. And if she wants me to court you, then who am I go against her?"  
  
"Mulder?"  
  
"Shh," he whispers, brushing his lips against hers to stop her from talking. "Remember, what Mrs. Scully wants . . . " Another brush against her lips. "Mrs. Scully gets."  
  
He presses his lips fully against hers, drawing her bottom one in his mouth for a few seconds before doing the same with the top. She whimpers in protest when he pulls away and stares into her flushed face.  
  
"So, would your mom approve? You know, of me kissing her daughter on a first date?"  
  
"But that was just a little nibble," she whispers breathlessly. "I think we could do better."  
  
She gives him a sly smile before grabbing his neck, intent on pulling his lips to hers . . . when they're stopped by an almost inhuman growl.  
  
"Get off of my sister."  
  
"Bill, stop this," Scully yells, jumping in between Mulder and her brother. "I will not have you two fighting like this."  
  
"And I won't have him manhandling my sister right under my nose," Bill yells back.  
  
"This is ridiculous," Scully sighs, rolling her eyes. "Let's just turn around and head home. Mulder said that a storm is brewing."  
  
"There's no storm," Bill scoffs. "It's perfectly clear out. I know something about sailing ships, Mr. Mulder. Why don't you let me do my job and if there's ever a little green man I need chasing, I'll call you."  
  
"Bill . . . "  
  
"Don't even worry about it, Scully," Mulder stops her, not wanting her to fight her brother anymore. "But Bill, I may not be a sailor, but I know something about these waters. There are storms here that come out of nowhere. The signs are subtle and easy to miss."  
  
Bill just ignores him, refusing to listen to anything he says.  
  
"Try to talk some sense into him, Scully," he pleads, his eyes giving her that look she just can't resist.  
  
"You're serious about this storm?" she asks.  
  
"I'm almost certain. But I'd rather be wrong than risk your life."  
  
"Okay," she relents. "I'll go talk to him."  
  
"Thanks," he whispers, heaving a sigh of relief before pressing a kiss to her forehead. She starts to walk away and he calls her back. "And Scully? Hurry. We don't have much time."  
  
She looks to the skies, trying to see what he sees, but there's nothing. Of course, she's followed him on much less. Why would she do any differently in this case?  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
The rocking boat makes Mulder wish he had doubled up on his sea sickness patch. The one patch was enough for one ordinary boat trip. But the storm has made the ride a lot bumpier. It's taking everything in him to . . . well, keep everything in him.  
  
"How are you feeling?" Scully yells, having to raise her voice over the loud wind and rain beating against the deck.  
  
"A little queasy," he says, down playing the overwhelming nausea and not telling her he's already vomited several times. "But on a brighter note, I am feeling a bit vindicated. Looks like I was right about the storm."  
  
"Yeah," she smiles an uneasy smile. "But at what cost? How are we going to get out of here?"  
  
"It's too late to turn back now. We'll just be going back into the worst of the storm. We should do what we're doing and try to go through it. We should be approaching land soon. There's a little cove my friends and I used to sail to. It's where our secret fortress was."  
  
"Well, hopefully it's still there and we can take shelter until this storm passes," she plans optimistically.  
  
"If we can make it there," he murmurs under his breath. Something tells him it won't be that easy.  
  
Not even a minute later, Mulder knows that he's right. Bill's panic striken face tells him something is very wrong.  
  
"We're taking on water. A lot of it," he says without preamble, bringing silence to them all.  
  
"We have to get off this boat," Scully finally says after her shock wears off. "Mulder, how far is that cove you were telling me about?"  
  
"It's hard to say," he shrugs.  
  
"Well, we're about to find out. We're going to have to swim for it."  
  
"But Dana, I'm not a strong swimmer," Tara cries the fear starting to overcome her. "I'm not going to make it."  
  
"Don't worry, Honey. We'll get you to shore safely," Bill promises her, pulling her into a hug.  
  
They ride the boat until it's about to sink before jumping into the cold water. After about half a mile, Mulder notices Bill struggling with Tara, so he takes over for awhile.  
  
He tries not to show how much he's struggling himself. He lost most of his energy and some vital fluids being sick on the boat. But he can't give up now. The last thing he needs is Bill Scully hating him for not being able to rescue Tara.  
  
After a few more strokes, he finds he can't go on and manages to just barely keep the two of them afloat. Luckily he can see that Scully, who's swam ahead of the crew, has signalled that she's reached land.  
  
"She made it," Mulder groans, relieved that she's to safety, but starting to feel the effects of his exertion.  
  
"You all right, man?" Bill asks, slowing down his swimming to stay paced with them.  
  
"Just a little cramp," Mulder groans again, trying to avoid showing how much he's really hurting. "Take her and I'll be right behind you."  
  
He manages to stay afloat just long enough to watch Bill and Tara make it to the cove. Finally, with his strength completely gone and the pain too much to fight, Mulder feels his limbs stop moving. He feels the cold water rise higher and higher until it fully covers his face. Then, he feels nothing else.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Bill gets Tara and help her to the cove, the trip taking much longer having to pull her along.  
  
"Where's Mulder?" Scully asks, expecting to see the man and starting to worry when she doesn't.  
  
"Right behind us," Bill gasps, trying to catch his breath.  
  
"No he's not," Scully screams, the fear obvious in her voice. "I don't see him. Where is he, Bill?"  
  
"It's dark and raining, Dana. That's why you can't see him. He said he was going to be right behind us."  
  
"Something's wrong," she gasps, going back towards the water. "I have to go get him."  
  
"Wait a minute," Bill says, grabbing her arms. "Give him a minute to get here before you go tearing off after him like you usually do."  
  
"Bill, can we save this argument for another time?" she screams. "I would think that after living it up in the man's house this weekend and sinking the man's boat, you'd be able to garner just a little bit of respect for the man. I know still hate him, but he's out there somewhere and I have to find him. I'm going to find him."  
  
"No need, Sis." He turns her around and points to something in the water. "I told you he'd be here."  
  
Her eyes follow to where he's pointing and sure enough, there's something out there floating towards them. Terror grabs a hold of her heart as she realizes something.  
  
"He isn't moving," she says, shock taking over. "Why isn't he moving?"  
  
"Oh no," Bill groans, running to jump into the water before his sister can. He reaches Mulder's lifeless body, floating face down in the water, and turns him over to look for signs of life. Not seeing any, he gets him back to shore as quickly as possible.  
  
"Put him on the ground," Scully orders, only taking the time to snarl accusingly at her brother. She reaches into his mouth to check for any foreign objects and begins mouth to mouth resuscitation while Tara pumps his chest.  
  
"Come on, Mulder. Breathe! Don't you dare die on me," she demands, as if by will alone she'll be able to keep him alive.  
  
She feels hands trying to pull her away, but she just pulls back. There's no way she's giving up now. She keeps at it until finally, she's rewarded with a gurgle. The gurgle is followed by a spray of water as Mulder begins to cough up the sea water in his lungs. A few moments later, he's gasping desperately for air. Scully's never heard a sweeter sound.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
"You need to stay warm, Mulder." Scully wraps the blanket around Mulder. The so called 'fortress' was no more than a deserted cabin. Fortunately, there were a few candles and a few blankets that they've made use of. But with the storm still raging on, there's no way to tell how much longer they'll be stranded. The sound of heavy thumps on the roof don't give them much hope, either."  
  
"Hail," Mulder sighs, shaking his head at how his luck is going from bad to worse. "I guess that means no hiking tonight to the main road."  
  
"How far is it to the main road?" Bill is curious.  
  
"Only about four miles," Mulder shrugs. "But there's no way you'd make it there alive out there with that hail. I don't think you want to get hit in the head by grapefruit sized hail."  
  
"So we're stuck here?" Bill whines. "Just great. Tell me something, Mr. Mulder. Why is it my vacation starts to suck the minute you show up?"  
  
"Bill," Tara snaps. "That isn't fair."  
  
"Bill, your vacation was fine until you decided to be stupid and sail Mulder's boat into a storm," Scully reminds him. "Mulder tried to warn you about it.  
  
"Whatever," Bill grumbles, stomping off to stand on the porch. Tara glances at them apologetically and runs after her husband.  
  
"Not my biggest fan, is he?" Mulder jokes, giving Scully a weak smile.  
  
"I guess not." She shakes her head and then lowers it to her chest. "I'm sorry, Mulder. I just didn't realize how deep his hatred for you goes."  
  
"It's not your fault." He takes his fingers and gently tips her chin up so that he can look into her eyes. "And it's not your problem. This is my problem and Bill's problem. We're the ones who have to work it out. And I promise you that we will because I plan on sticking around for a long, long time. I can't have you worrying everytime your brother and I are in the same room."  
  
She smiles and falls into his arms, noticing for the first time how cool his skin is.  
  
"Mulder, you're freezing. You have to get warm."  
  
"Well, we may not have a sleeping bag, but this ratty, old blanket just might count, right?" he asks, a gleam in his eyes she can't resist.  
  
"It just might," she laughs. "Agent Mulder, I think this may be your lucky night."  
  
"Well, let's get it on then, honey," he grins.  
  
"Not that lucky. My brother is just outside that door."  
  
"Party pooper."  
  
His pout is too much resist. She covers it with her own pouty lips, allowing their mouths to mingle for several long minutes. Pretty soon, she's not sure who's the one shivering, or if it's due to the chill in the air or something else. She has to stop this before it gets more out of hand.  
  
"We should rest," she whispers, placing one last kiss on his lips. "We still have a bit of a hike when the hail stops."  
  
"Okay," he says quickly. A little too quickly for her peace of mind. "Mulder, are you sure you're okay?"  
  
"Just tired," he assures her, tucking her comfortably into his embrace. Lulled by their warming bodies, they both quickly fall asleep.  
  
Too soon for her own liking, a bright ray of sunlight seeps into her dreams, pulling her from her warm haven. She instantly notices two things. One, the storm seems to have passed if the sunshine is any indication. And two, a ratty, old blanket can give off a lot of heat. It's practically sweltering underneath the covers.  
  
Her sleepy mind takes only a second to process that thought before she leaps up, turning to face Mulder. He initially appears to be sleeping peacefully, but a closer examination lets her see his true condition. His cheeks are flushed red and she knows without touching him how hot he will be. His labored breath coming out in fast, shallow puffs is added to the fever already on her mental list of his symptoms.  
  
"Mulder." She shakes him gently at first, but when he doesn't respond, she becomes more forceful. "Wake up, Mulder."  
  
It's not until her brother wakes that she realizes she's screaming. But he still doesn't rouse after any of that.  
  
"Dana, what is it?"  
  
"Mulder's sick," she explains, trying to regain her usually calm facade. "He won't wake up. Based on his fever and that rattling in his chest, I'd guess it's pneumonia. He needs to be in a hospital right away."  
  
She gets up and looks frantically around the cabin, not really sure what to do.  
  
"Calm down, Dana," Bill says, grabbing her by the shoulders. "We're not going to be able to take him anywhere without any transportation. I'll run up to that road he was telling us about and try to flag down somebody to call an ambulance."  
  
She's torn. On the one hand, she doesn't trust anyone with Mulder's life but herself. But she has to trust her brother to find help or to stay with Mulder while she goes herself. She decides on the lesser of two evils and lets her brother go for help. She can only hope that he'll do the right thing.  
  
--------------------------------------------------  
  
Mulder tries to snuggle deeper into Scully's arms, but can't seem to find her. He flails his arms, coming up empty with each pass. He tries to open his eyes to see her, but also can't manage the task. True panic starts to set in when he realizes he can't even call out to her, his voice being stopped by something.  
  
"Shhh." Her warm breath flows over him, instantly calming him. "It's okay, Mulder, I've got you. I need you to do a few things for me, okay?"  
  
He can only nod, wanting to comply with her wishes, but only panics more when he can't get his breath on his own.  
  
"Calm down," she quickly says, grabbing his hand to soothe him. "It's a respirator. Don't fight it."  
  
A respirator. That means he's in a hospital. How did he get in a hospital, he wonders. She answers him, seeming understanding what he's thinking.  
  
"Lung infection," she explains. "From all the water in your lungs after your near drowning."  
  
He nods again, suddenly remembering everything from the ill fated boat trip to falling asleep in Scully's arms. He chooses to focus on that part of the day as his exhaustion again overcomes him.  
  
The next time he wakes, he's pleased to find he has control of all his facilities. But he also unfortunately has all the pain to go along with it. He lets out an anguished moan, alerting Scully that he's awake.  
  
"You feeling any better?" she asks, a glowing smile on her face. But he can see the fatigue behind her eyes.  
  
"Tired?" he whispers, his throat still raw from the respirator.  
  
"That's normal, Mulder. You're going to feel tired for awhile."  
  
"No. You. You need to go rest."  
  
"I'm fine," she says, shaking her head. "I need to make sure you're okay."  
  
"Sorry," he apologizes. "I ruined your vacation."  
  
"No, that would have been that jerk of a brother of mine."  
  
"I still shouldn't come between you. He's your family."  
  
"You're my family too, Mulder," she insists, running her fingers along his stubbly chin. "You're going to have to accept that. And so will Bill."  
  
"Okay," he smiles. "I'll do my best."  
  
"That's all I ask. Now go back to sleep. You have a lot of healing to do."  
  
"Aye Aye, Captain," he teases, quickly starting to lose the battle with unconsciousness again. Storms may come and go in his life, but he knows he'll be able to survive them with this woman by his side. He'll do anything to keep her there - even making nice with her brother. That's one storm he'll be glad to weather, as long as it makes her happy. That's all that really matters to him.  
  
The end. 


End file.
